This invention relates to improvements for ladies' purses, handbags, and pocket books, and is more particularly concerned with the problem of separating change, i.e., coins, from other items that may be in the purse. The invention is also directed to a coin-separating tray that is integrated with the bottom or base of the purse or handbag, and collects any coins that may migrate to the bottom of the purse, so that the person can easily access any coins and does not have to dig through the purse or handbag to scavenge any coins that may be there.
There is a problem concerning loose change that is completely unaddressed in any current design of women's purses or handbags. Currently, women may typically have to dig through their purses for change, i.e., coins, when making a purchase, or when leaving a tip or gratuity. Generally, coins that are received in change from a purchase are often just dropped into the purse, Then later, when making another purchase, the woman has to hunt through all the items in her purse to find the coins that are present. Often, this is time consuming and frustrating, especially when there are others in the check-out lane behind her (or behind him in some cases).
There have been earlier attempts to provide specially designed purses and handbags which have compartments on the inside or on the outside for keeping coins. However, these have not proven to be particularly convenient. Moreover, providing outside compartments on the purse or handbag affects the appearance and design of the article, which the user may find unattractive, thus deterring its use.
A number of purses, hand bags, and other hand-held carrying bags have been proposed with separate compartments and storage pockets for coins or other articles. Soskin Publication US 2002/0108828 shows a purse or handbag with a pull-out storage pocket that is accessible from the interior or from the exterior of the bag. Chen U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,344 shows a handbag with an interior or exterior removable enclosure. Holden et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,975 is directed to a handbag or shoulder bag with zip-in interchangeable liners. Hume U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,719 shows a handbag with a built-in coin purse that is accessible from the outside of the handbag. Lindemann U.S. Pat. No. 2,130,502 shows a handbag with various compartments at the bottom of the handbag with flaps for accessing items such as cosmetics, but in Lindemann the compartments are separate from the main inside compartment of the purse or handbag. Landis U.S. Pat. No. 2,126,898; Filipowicz U.S. Pat. No. 1,980,133; Sernaker U.S. Pat. No. 1,803,441; and Sachs U.S. Pat. No. 1,581,985 show various handbags and pocketbooks with internal or external compartments for various items. Gleason et al. Publ. No. US 2006/0027475 relates to a tool bag which has one or more removable bottom trays. A number of storage volumes are defined by the various trays and the tool bag. However, none of the items shown or discussed in any of these references contains any feature that allows coins or similar articles that may gravitate to the bottom of the bag to separate themselves and fall into a lower compartment so they can be easily accessed, when needed.
Ladies' purses, handbags, and pocketbooks of the prior art, and for that matter tool bags of the prior art, have not concerned themselves with the problem of retrieving change, i.e., coins, that have been earlier dropped into the purse, and have not recognized a need for a means of segregation or separation of coins from other articles in a way that makes the coins easier to access and dispense.